Flood Cleanup Mistakes To Avoid
When dealing with a flooded home, many homeowners don’t realize that time stands against them when cleaning up the water. Burst pipes, sewage back-ups, and natural disasters can cause anything from shallow puddles to feet of water, but even small amounts of water can cause irreversible damage if ignored. Know and avoid the most common flood cleanup mistakes frequently seen by the professional water damage technicians at Summit Restoration in Salt Lake City.
1. Postponing Flood Cleanup
Water causes damage from the moment it hits a home. A small puddle can soak into a house’s subflooring and weaken it, while a few inches of water in a basement can wear away at the foundation. Homeowners who put off flood or water cleanup for a later date may suffer more extensive house damage and invite more costly repairs.
Calling water cleanup experts immediately prevents growing water damage and guarantees fewer repairs. In addition, homeowners can trust that the team will discover other potential issues like mold growth or damaged drywall and insulation.
2. Using the Wrong Equipment
Many homeowners think they can DIY water removal. Unfortunately, buckets, towels, and small dehumidifiers don’t perform as well as their commercial-grade counterparts. DIY cleanup takes longer and may ruin any equipment not intended to handle the large quantities of water resulting from flooding or major leaks. Because time is of the essence, homeowners shouldn’t waste precious hours on ineffective water removal with the wrong equipment.
Hiring a professional water cleanup team provides homeowners with experienced technicians bringing in commercial equipment that can quickly and safely clean up standing water. Typical commercial water cleanup equipment includes:
- Wet-dry vacuums
- Dehumidifiers
- Water pumps
- Fans
3. Overlooking Personal Belongings
Water has a way of seeping into shelves, cabinets, and underneath furniture to reach any personal belongings homeowners may not think about during cleanup. Cabinets and cupboards full of clothing, toys, or other personal items combine with moisture to create the perfect environment for mold colonies. Homeowners may also experience additional damage from forgotten items releasing soaked-up water back into a cleaned environment.
This may be the most common out of all the flood cleanup mistakes, and homeowners can avoid it by hiring an experienced water cleanup company. Water restoration technicians check every detail to ensure that no drop of water goes uncovered and can guide homeowners in properly caring for drenched personal belongings. In the aftermath of a flood, rely on experienced professionals to scour every part of the home for possible damage.
4. Not Investigating Other Potential Damage
Flood cleanup doesn’t stop after water removal. Even if a room seems completely dry, water may have seeped into walls or floors, creating the perfect setting for mold growth. Homeowners set on cleaning up standing water themselves often don’t realize that flood damage continues long after the water has drained away.
Professional water cleanup specialists can spot potential structural damage or areas prone to mold growth after flooding. Water restoration teams then use specialized drying equipment, detailed inspections, and sanitizing chemicals to keep homes safe from water damage and mold growth.
5. Failing to Use Proper Protective Gear
Homeowners planning to clean up standing water often don’t own the right protective gear to safely and effectively do the job. Backed-up sewer lines can carry bacteria and disease, and a flooded room may have soaked water into the electrical wiring. Unwary homeowners attempting DIY flood cleanup may become ill, slip and fall, or electrocute themselves without proper safety gear.
Professional water cleanup technicians can properly assess a flooded space to understand what type of protective gear they need to safely and effectively perform water cleanup. Not only does this protect the homeowner’s safety, it ensures that water restoration specialists don’t hurt themselves while cleaning up standing water.
Water cleanup technicians may wear various pieces of protective gear, including:
- Shoe covers
- Coveralls
- Gloves
- Masks
- Boots
Each piece of gear can protect the technician against electrical shock, soaked clothing, or bacterial infections.
Prevent Flood Cleanup Mistakes with Summit Restoration in Salt Lake City, UT
When a home suffers a flood, dealing with the water immediately saves homeowners time, money, and home and health hazards. Attempting to clean up without professional help often means missed water damage and potential mold colonies, setting homes up for further problems in the future. Avoid flood cleanup mistakes by trusting Summit Restoration with residential water damage.
Contact Summit Restoration for damage restoration services. We offer water cleanup by qualified water damage restoration specialists in Salt Lake City, UT. Call (389) 469-2640 today for a free water damage restoration quote.
